Receptacle.



PATENTED AUG. 18, 1903.

\ 0.0.HARKBR.

RECEPTAGLE.

APPLIoATmN FILED MAY zo, 1902*.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented August 1S, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES O. HARKER,OF `SIOUX CITY, IOWA.

REcEP-tncrif-:

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 736,387, dated August 18, 1903.

Appnmon nea my zo, 190,2.A spia no. 108,203. No model.)

To all `whom it may concern/.-

Sioux City, in the county of Woodbury and State of Iowa, have invented certainlnew and useful Improvements in lteceptacles;` and I do hereby declare the following to be a; f

full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. a

l My invention relates to improvements in automatic self-closing receptacles,and though primarily adapted to be used uasa poison-retainer or insect-destroyer is obviously susceptible of many other use s and contemplates employment as an ink-well, cuspidor, or the like. t

My device is especially usefulas a safetyholder for poisonous substances in that being accidentally tilted or upset it 'performs the double function ofautomatically closing itsoutlet andmreturning. itself' to its normal or upright position.

My receptacle is equally capable of beingl used as a retainerfor liquids, powder, yeast, and solid orcake substances. These objects and others are attained by.` a construction such as that illustrated in the ceptacle in its 'normal or upright position. Fig. 2 is a cross-section` thereof when in tilted position, with its-openingA oroutlet closed ;V

. centrally.apertured, as at a2.V

l B represents the openingor outlet of said receptacle, located centrally at the top B thereof, said top being inclined inwardly and downwardly after the manner of the wellknown non-spilling ink-well to not only prevent spilling of the contents of the base, but to constitute a valve-seat, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

accompanying` i Ektendingupwardlyand centrallyfrom the Be it known that I, CHARLES O. HAEKER,; a citizen of the United States, residing jat;

bottom aand secured thereto at a point surrounding, the aperture a2 is a hollow cylindrical rod or post C, passing through the out- ,let,B and 4terminating in a screw-threaded f D constitutes the closing device and composes the body. portion d, preferably hollow, 4forming a valveor stopper, the same having Aabottolnclz, connected to a surrounding ta- 1 fpered :portion d', corresponding to the inclination of the top B of the base. This valve D has an opening d? extending there-v through at its center, terminating at its top in an elongated sleeve or hollow extension d4, and is slidably mounted upon the post or rod C. f Passing through the aperture a2 and connected to the sleeve portionof theyalve D by any suitable means isa downwardly-extending rod E,\Which constitutes the va1ve= operating` instrumentality and is ofr suffi- ;cient lengthto be projected a considerable l jdistance below the bottom of the receptacle fwhenthe receptacle is tilted andthe valve :automatically seated. (See Fig.2..) On. the lower end of said rod E is a rounded abutment E', adapted to contact with-the surface `fof the support upon `which thereceptacle l rests to force the rod upwardlyand open the l Figure l is a perspective View of myre4 valve when the receptacle is in normal posi tion. F designates a slot in the post C, arranged longitudinally thereof and adapte-d to ^receive and guide a pin or bar G, which latter is in turn secured to both the elongated portion d4 of the valve D and to the Valve operating rod E.

Connected at one end to the top of the post C and the other end bearing upon the top of the valve D is a spring H for normally pressing the valve D to its seat and the rod E outwardly. Detachably securedA to the periphery of the base a. isa wire cage .or hood I, formed spherical or ball-shapedland terminating in an eye I', adapted to tit over the screw-threaded tip c of the post C and held in place by the nut t'. The wires ofthe hood are a considerable distance apart to permit access to the interior. Oppositely-disposed oifset members X X on the hood have sufficient resiliency to permit the hood to be readily attached to or detached from the base IOO A, it simply being necessary to spring said members into engagement with the edge of the base to secure the hood in place thereon or outwardly from engagement with said edge, when the hood may be elevated therefrom, the nut'i of course having been previously removed. When liquids are used, the valve- -seat B2 may be provided with rubber gaskets J for obvious reasons.

Referring now more particularly to the modified form shown in Fig. 3, illustrating an ink-Well, cuspidor, or the like and wherein the screen-casing .shown in the other figures is removed, K represents the chamber portion or receptacle proper, having the rounded body K', the valve and operating means therefor being the same as in the other figures.

From the foregoing description the operation of my device will be apparent. Assuming the receptacle A to have in its interior poisonous substance, ink, or the like and to be in an upright position, the rounded abutment of the valve-stem E being in contact with the surface on which the receptacle rests, the weight of the receptacle forces the valve D against the action of the spring A from its seat BQ thus leaving the opening B unobstructed. Supposing now that the device is tilted or upset by accident or purposely, the spring A` will at once force the valve D to its seat, thus closing the opening B. `At the same time, the weight of the bottom of the receptacle being considerably greater than its other parts, the receptacle is self-righted by force of gravity, the ball-shaped cage or hood I or curved edges of the base serving as a bearingsurface on which the device rocks during the righting operation. The stem will then again come into contact with thesurface of the supporting member and force the valve from its seat.

It is to be understood that many minor changes and alterations in the several parts of the construction shown may be made without in the least departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A self-righting receptacle having a hollow base provided with an outlet, a valve for said outlet, a rod adapted to contact with a surface when the receptacle is righted to normally hold said valve open, an upwardly-extending post surrounding the rod secured to said base and slotted longitudinally, and connecting means between the valve and the rod extending through the slot in the post, substantially as described.

2. A self-righting receptacle having a hollow base provided with an outlet, an upwardly-extending post attached thereto, a valve for said outlet having an upwardlyex tending sleeve portion slidable over said post, an operating-rod for the valve, and connecting means between said rod and the sleeve portion of the valve, substantially as described.

3. A self-righting receptacle having a hollow base, an upwardly-extending hollow post secured to said base and slotted longitudinally, a valve provided with an upwardlyextending sleeve slidably mounted on said post, an operating-rod for the valve passing through the hollow post, and a pin carried by the rod and passing through the slot in the post and connected to the valve-sleeve, substantially as described.

4. A self-righting receptacle having a relatively heavy base portion, a rounded cage connected to the base and arranged to coperate therewith to automatically return the receptacle to its upright position when the same is tilted or upset, said cage permitting access to the interior of the receptacle from the side thereof, substantially as described.

- 5. A self-righting receptacle having a relatively heavy base portion, a rounded cage detachably connected to the base and arranged to coperate therewith to automatically return the receptacle to its upright position when the same is tilted or upset, said cage permitting access to the interior of the recep tacle from the side thereof, substantially as described.

6. A receptacle of the character described provided with an outlet, a valve therefor, means associated with the Valve to normally hold the same away from its seat, means for automatically closing the valve when the receptacle is tilted or upset, and means for automatically righting the receptacle comprising a relatively heavy base portion, and a rounded cage connected thereto, said cage permitting access to the interior of the receptacle from the side thereof, substantially as described.

7. A receptacle having a hollow base provided with an outlet, an upwardly-extending post secured to said base, a valve for said outlet, a sleeve extending upwardly from said valve slidable over said post, means for normally holding the Valve in open position, and a spring encircling the slidable sleeve arranged to force the valve to its seat when the receptacle is tilted or upset, substantially as described.

8. A receptacle having a hollow body provided with an outlet, an upwardly-extending post secured to said body, a valve sleeved upon and slidable over the post, means for normallyT holding the valve in open position, and means for forcing the valve to its seat when the receptacle is tilted or upset, sub.

stantially as described.

9. A receptacle having a hollow base pro- IOO IIO

IZO

vided with an outlet, an upwardly-extending slotted hollow post secured to said base, a valve for said outlet, means slidable within the hollow post and projecting through the slot therein for normally holding the valve in open position, and means for forcing the e valve to its seat when the receptacle is tilted or upset, substantially as described.

10. A receptacle having a hollow base pro- Vided with an outlet, an upwardly-extending slotted hollow post secured to said base, a

Valve for said outlet, means slidable within the hollow post and projecting through the slot therein for normally holdingl the Valve in open position, and a spring encircling the l 

